codexgigasfandomcom-20200215-history
Ondolori
OBSERVATIONAL REPORT V-235-R-010 Observer: Zn Vg Tp Subject: Race Studies - The Ondolori Beginning Report: After the Galactic Surveillance Choir reported a meteor strike on 0-95586, the Exalted One Vc Dz Pk requested that I visit the planet and assist Planetary Monitor Uo Hj Mw in determining the loss of life. We traveled to the chosen planet and discovered that the meteor had destroyed the planet's biosphere (see Galactic Conditions Report L-5563T, "Destruction of 0-95586"). While I was there, a Herald arrived and informed me that the GIGAS had added a new member, and that making an observational report of it had gone to highest priority, but Vn Px Qc was occupied. I agreed to travel to the new member species's home world, which was nearby, and study the dominant species. What follows are my observations and notes. Planet: 0-90644 A neighboring planet of the recently depopulated 0-95586, 0-90644 is the fourth planet in that system. It orbits the blue-yellow star VMV-83325, and takes about four hundred days to complete a circuit. 0-90644 has thirty-hour days. 0-90644 consists of a series of twin land chains around the planet. The chains cover approximately half the planet's surface, in the form of long, narrow islands that meet in one large continent. The continent is almost entirely forest, but the islands vary in their biomass. During my initial study of the planet, I took on physical form and wandered along one of the islands. The island was what is typically described as "tropical", but my physical study found evidence that it used to be a desert. This is a hallmark of early terraforming, when parts of one biosphere remain after it is changed into another. The sapient species largely inhabit the continent, but over time they have taken to traveling between islands. I listened carefully to them, and managed to learn their world for their planet: "Ytytmkraka", or "Body of Stone". The species lives in a series of tribal villages throughout 0-90644, and have yet to gather into cities. 0-90644 has two moons, both of which orbit the main planet at odd angles. The native species maintains colonies on both, each inhabited by a single tribe that volunteered to leave the planet's surface. Major Species: The Ondolori Appearance: An Ondolor stands about five feet tall, most of this provided by its thorax. It consists of a head and torso atop a three-foot-long section of feet, which consists of about ten small feet propelling the Ondolor forward. Its body is fairly skinny, with a pair of long, thin arms ending in three-fingered hands. The Ondolor head has multifaceted eyes and a long tube for a mouth, the end of which is lined with scraping teeth. Ondolori have no hair, and their exoskeleton is typically a shade of green. Their bodies possess a genital slit a short distance under their stomachs. The odd structure of the Ondolori mouth makes speaking other languages impossible, but they have invented a device that applies a pair of muscle-movement readers to the top of the tube. This device translates the motions the words make into whatever language the Ondolor needs, and can be set for one of several hundred thousand voices. The invention of this device, which almost all Ondolori wear, allowed them to become a member of the GIGAS. - Clothing: Ondolori wear a loincloth that drapes over the genital slit much of the time, only removing it for reproductive purposes. They also wear a variety of vests and draperies over their thoraxes. The designs on the loincloth and drapery signify which clan the Ondolori belongs to. Biological Requirements: As with most organic life, Ondolori require food, water and air. Ondolori can only consume select foods (they are herbivores), which they eat similar to a fly, by cutting a hole into the product and injecting digestive acids. They then suck up the resulting mess. They drink from shallow bowls. Ondolori sleep standing up, leaning against padded surfaces. An Ondolori "bedroom" is lined with padding. Ondolori sleep for about ten hours each night. Reproduction: Ondolori are hermaphroditic, and mature sexually at around forty years old. Every few years, portions of the Ondolori society are chosen as egg-layers, and another portion is chosen as fertilizers, decisions made by the Overseer Council. At a chosen day, usually an Ondolori holiday, the selected individuals travel to the nursery and perform their chosen roles; the egg-layers lay their eggs, soft-shelled and in clutches of about twenty, and the fertilizers fertilize them. When the eggs hatch, typically about five months later, the resulting young are raised by the Drones. Two-thirds of the young born in a clutch of Ondolori are sterile, and possess no genital slits. These are referred to by the Ondolori as Drones, and given a special status in society. While Drones cannot reproduce, they are given responsibility for much of the proper running of Ondolori society, and fulfill every role short of "parent". They are even given a voice on the Overseer Council. Lifespan: A fertile Ondolor lives for between 240 to 270 years, with the oldest having lived to 283. Sterility and closing of the genital slit announces the Ondolor's impending death. Drones typically live to about 160 years, which leads to the belief that Drones live on borrowed time. Culture Technology: The Ondolori are Technology Level 11. Ondolori are a species devoted to self-defense. They evolved from a prey species (their former predator, a species of serpent they call the Ritcraiteyt - "wicked fang" - still exists), and have developed under threat from outside attack. Their first ships were reverse-engineered from one taken from the Tarenhta after an attack on one of their villages. Ondolori spacecraft are saucerlike in shape, propelled by antigrav jets and powered by small nuclear reactors (0-90644 has several stockpiles of uranium). The waste was formerly used for "dirty nuke" missiles, but as part of their signing onto the GIGAS, they have agreed to cease using such weapons. The primary weapon of an Ondolori ship is pressure-wave mines, which when hit force the detonation of the bombs inside them into a very narrow channel capable of shattering Miridi transparisteel. In planetary combat, Ondolori have a variety of weapons. The favorite is the "battle drape", a thin fibersteel cloak that carries two repeating laserguns on the thorax flanks, connected to a "trigger" on the forehead that is "pulled" with muscle twitches. The Ondolor wearing the drape also carries two repeating laserguns in its hands, which are attached to the drape. The most advanced of the Ondolori tribes developed terraforming a century ago, and used it to turn several of the less-fertile islands into inhabitable states. The technology is still in its infancy, and as such the Ondolori have yet to use it on other planets. Using technology scavenged from the Tarenhta, the Ondolori developed antigravity sleds, which they use to travel between villages. Otherwise, they travel on foot. Ondolori live in small tribal villages scattered around the planet, in huts made of wood but put together with long steel spikes, which they consider a melding of old and new ways. They formerly used hand tools out of tradition, but have begun acquiring Miridi automatic tools. Even their factories are built from wood, though they line the insides with stone to avoid the obvious problem of smelting in wooden buildings. The Ondolori have medical technology comparable to human medicine prior to the Sciuridian attack. Their one lapse is in reproductive medicine - if an Ondolor cannot reproduce, they do not see a reason to apply medicine to the problem, instead preferring to sew the genital slit closed and treat them as a Drone. Religion: Ondolori worship many gods, which they believe came from the Great Hollow Stone at the World's Heart. Key among them are Tojanda, the Bringer of Life and Health; Perwuza, the Keeper of Advancement; and the first and oldest of the gods, Xier, the One Who Stops New Life, the god of death. The holy symbol that represents the pantheon is a circle with many, many breaks on its surface. Ondolori worship their gods in many ways. They leave offerings of fruit at small altars devoted to specific gods, and are known to chant at dawn (to Tojanda) and dusk (Xier) when they are preparing for a major life change, such as traveling to another planet. Temples to each of the gods are maintained by Drones, who are believed to have a closer connection to the gods due to being killed and resurrected by Xier. They maintain chains of prayer to the gods, and ask for mercy for those who act against the ways of the gods. Ondolori believe that the center of the world is their afterlife. Dead Ondolori travel into fissures in the earth, where they find the path grows more dangerous the more hateful and selfish they were in life. Ondolori who were kind and generous in life find the path easy to traverse and cool to the touch, while evil Ondolori walk through fire and trip over broken, jagged rocks. Those who lose their way will wander for eternity in stone; those who do not lose the path will return to the Great Hollow Stone at the World's Heart, where they may be reborn by its grace. - Creation Myth: The myth of the Ondolori's origins is notable in also containing their greatest cultural hero, Radradosh. The story states that at an unknown point in the past, the Stopper of New Life, Xier, pulled the Great Hollow Stone at the World's Heart from a pool of fire. It sat there for untold years, until a crack formed in the front. From it emerged the first Ondolori, who were blind and without arms. They helplessly fed on a trickle of fluid that leaked from the crack. Finally, however, some of the Ondolori pressed too hard on the crack, and it fell inwards. Now that the hole was widened, Radradosh climbed out. It was the first Ondolor with eyes and arms, and it bore a great stick of hardened sap. It took a piece of the stone, stuck it in the top of the stick, and then shattered the front of the Great Hollow Stone. Two rivers poured out of it, and the Ondolori drank from it. One river gave them arms, and the other gave them eyes. The tale goes on to describe how Radradosh led the Ondolori through a series of caves, battling the Great Winged Worm, defeating the Great Scaled Worm at a riddle contest, and making a deal with Xier, The Stopper of New Life. In this last part, Radradosh made a mistake, and two-thirds of the Ondolori were killed. Though enough were left to populate the world, Radradosh atoned for its mistake by convincing Xier to return the slain. They were the first Drones, and as apology for its failure in getting them killed, it promised the Drones a place in the world. Once the Ondolori had reached the surface, Radradosh descended into the caves one final time and climbed into the Great Hollow Stone, striking the back of the stone with its stick. The shattered pieces formed into the other gods, who granted Radradosh immortality for its service in freeing the Ondolori. Radradosh appears in many stories among the Ondolori, typically using its wisdom and wits to outmaneuver some new threat to the species. In the last, it descends back into the World's Heart and steals the wings of the New Winged Worm. Using these wings, it takes to the skies, and then into space. Before it leaves, Radradosh promises the rest of the Ondolori that if they ever meet it again, it will bring them to the World Above. Sexuality: As creatures that do not reproduce sexually, Ondolori do not have sexual rules. They cover their genital slits out of modesty, but they do not do anything more. Leadership: Each Ondolori tribe is led by a fertile Ondolor, the chieftain, and a Drone, who advises him. They are directly responsible for that tribe, and while they are nominally selected by their tribe members, the Overseer Council can strip a failing or corrupt chieftain or advisor from their post and banish them. In a manner similar to the Doltomi, the Ondolori chieftains report to a group called the Overseer Council. This council consists of four fertile Ondolori and two Drones, and lives in a sacred cavern on the western coast of the continent. Whenever a member of the Overseer Council dies, the chieftains (or advisors) gather at the cavern and petition for membership. The Council chooses its own membership. Should the entire council die at one (a rare but sadly real occurrence), the tribes gather and hash out the new Overseer Council through rounds of debate and argument - any Ondolor who can gather sufficient support from the tribes, so that they shout down any dissenters to its selection, will be placed on the new Overseer Council. Cultural Relations: 0-90644 has suffered repeated attacks by a race known as the Tarenhta, who wish to claim it in order to continue their Great Pattern (a geometric arrangement of planets that the Tarenhta believe must be occupied by Tarenhtans to achieve enlightenment). The Ondolori have successfully fought them off on each occasion, though not without damage. Part of what finally motivated their joining the GIGAS was the damage to their lunar colonies by the last Tarenhta attack. The Ondolori are a thoroughly defensive species - they hate to be aggressive, considering it to be a betrayal of their heritage from Radradosh. When they are threatened, however, they strike with all fury, seeking to completely destroy their enemies in order to avoid being threatened again. (They will, however, always offer quarter if the situation is right.) The defense force consists largely of Drones, who are fully aware that they are being used (the Ondolori do not like to risk fertile ones), but take pride in it - they often joke about how fertility brings cowardice, and thus only the infertile are brave enough to fight. Fertile Ondolori typically join the defense force only if they feel they must prove themselves, and are subject to much hazing by the Drones. The Viota see no use for the Ondolori, as hermaphrodites are worthless for their transformations. When Viota ships encounter Ondolori, they seek to destroy them. Ondolori have developed a fairly foolproof strategy for battling Viota, consisting of baiting them with one apparently-damaged vessel and then letting out clusters of pressure-wave mines when the Viota ship falls for it. On joining the GIGAS, the Ondolori have found themselves most comfortable with the Sciuridians. The Nambik have trouble dealing with a species that bears a resemblance to the vogo worms they eat, and are uncomfortable with the translation devices; the Miridi are somewhat unnerved by their brutal nature in military matters and cannot disguise their nausea at the Ondolor eating habits (though both species are herbivores). While the Sciuridians are slightly condescending towards the less-advanced species, the two have managed to reach some accord. Diet: The Ondolori are herbivorous, and their staple food is the fruit of the batcha tree, which they call "votfrgwer", or "staff of life". Most other species, even on 0-90644, find this fruit hard to digest, but the Ondolor trait of predigesting food makes it much simpler. Almost all Ondolori villages maintain groves of batcha trees. (Transmission ends)